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I'm thinking about buying a used spotting scope some time. At some ranges I can rent one, but the last time I did so it was windy the little tripod it was mounted on was unstable. I don't remember the scopes objective power but it was a small plastic body which didn't help the stability. I was wondering how much scope do I need to spot .223 holes at 100 yards?

As in all optics, get the best one you can afford. Seeing a .22 cal bullet hole at 100 yards is a function of clarity as much as anything. Good contrast helps, and by that I mean the target construction. When I'm shooting for groups I like to use the smallest dot my scope can distinguish, and put it on glossy, white paper. I normally use the paper that high school teams print their schedule posters on. Slick, heavy poster paper, 11" x 17". I put the target dot on the unprinted, white side. It's very easy to see the bullet holes in that slick white surface. Most of the time, I can simply use my rifle scope at 100 yards and don't need to break out the spotting scope.

Eidt to add: I use an old Bushnell Sportview spotting scope. With good targets it will easily see .22 cal bullet holes at 100 yards. With poor targets it won't. Still, I've found it useful over the years. I see that Optics4Birding has it on sale for under $100.00. It's not a great scope, but it is certainly useful.

Last edited by PawPaw on Fri Feb 20, 2015 4:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I'd give Neil or Doug at http://www.cameralandny.com a phone call, tell them what you want and see what spotting scopes they have as open-box or ex-demo specials. They are great guys to deal with. Neil is a shooter himself. Last time I ordered from them, they sent me brand new unopened items for the ex-demo prices, and threw in a free bino tripod too! Visit the website to enter a free draw.

Alternatively, to really stretch your budget, see what you can google up as a "birdwatching" scope. I bought one so advertised at Tchibo for well under 100 bucks, and it turned out to be a rather good 20-60x80 instrument, which is a fine spotting scope for shooting 100m. It looks an awful lot like an early-model Bushnell Elite. The included tripod was too light and flimsy, but that was easily replaced.

Vixen optics are great value at the moment. They are well known for their astronomical instruments, and are now trying to break into the sports-optics segment.

HTRN wrote:You're best option in a cheap spotting scope is a Konus. Amazon has one for 230 bucks, that comes with Tripod and case.

The one I got from Jarhead Top some years ago is more than adequate for my needs and I've had no issues with it. Looks like he has a new shooters package deal that's worth looking at if the stand is of any interest to you (if I had kept up in Hi-power Rifle I was going to need a stand like that). Same scope I have, but mine came with a mini tripod which is good for prone or from the bench.

...even before I read MHI, my response to seeing a poster for the stars of the latest Twilight movies was "I see 2 targets and a collaborator".

HTRN wrote:You're best option in a cheap spotting scope is a Konus. Amazon has one for 230 bucks, that comes with Tripod and case.

The one I got from Jarhead Top some years ago is more than adequate for my needs and I've had no issues with it. Looks like he has a new shooters package deal that's worth looking at if the stand is of any interest to you (if I had kept up in Hi-power Rifle I was going to need a stand like that). Same scope I have, but mine came with a mini tripod which is good for prone or from the bench.

I've been happy w. mine, too. The tripod is a bit wobbly, though. I replaced mine.

A builder's/transit level works fine for the range - not so much for the field (field of veiw sucks). But you can get an excellent piece of glass from ebay or a pawnshop for less than a cheap chinese spotting scope. It will have crosshairs and stadia lines, possibly a nice tripod and focus tight enough to read the ticmarks on a target rod at 150 yds. I've used them and it is worth considering if cash is a factor.

Yeah, that's a good point - he may not want to spend that much on a scope, and they're are some of us who look at Kowa's and go, "5 grand? It's a bargain!"

As for a tripod recommendation, I can wholeheartedly suggest a Manifrotto/Bogen 3251 with a 3047 head. Beefy and very stable. Downside? Used you're talking more than the spotting scope. Mine cost me 300 bucks and I thought it was a steal.

EGO partum , proinde EGO sum

Describing what HTRN does as "antics" is like describing the wreck of the Titanic as "a minor boating incident" ~ First Shirt